Clamp for button-hole sewing-machines



(No Model.) 2 Sheets-Sheet 1..

J. G. GREENE.

CLAMP FOR BUTTON HOLE SEWING MACHINES. No. 319,700.

Patented June 9, 1885 In 1 II IravenT-: 4

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(No Model',) 2 Sfleets-Sheet 2; J. G. GREENE.

CLAMP EOE BUTTON-HOLE SEWING MACHINES. N0. v319,700. Patented June 9.'1885.

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citizen of the United States, residing at Rochester, in the county of Monroe and State of my object being to improve the construction 1 NIT-ED STATES] PATENT (Darren.

JAMES e. GREENE, or ROCHESTER, NEw YORK, ASSIGNOR TO THE SINGER MANUFACTURING COMPANY on NEW JE sEY.

CLAMP FOR BUTTON-*HOLE SEWING MACHINES.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 319,700, dated June 9, 1885.

Application filed February 20, 1885. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern: Be it known that I, JAMES G. GREENE, a

New York, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Clamps for Button- Hole Sewing-Machines, of which the following is a specification, reference being had therein to the accompanying drawings.

My invention relates to that class of cloth or fabric clamps adapted to open or spread the button-hole after the fabric has been clamped,

of these devices so that their action will be more positive and reliable, and thus lessen their liability to break or get out of order, as well as to add to their convenience.

In carrying my invention into effect I provide the base-plate of the cloth-clamp with guides adapted to hold the lower plates or jaws of the clamp in place on said base-plate, but permitting said jaws to slide transversely of said plate a limited distance,the upper jaws of the clamp being mounted on the lower jaws so as to slide therewith. The base-plate is provided with a recess in which is placed a slide provided with inclined ribs working .in inclined grooves in the bottoms of the lower clamping-jaws, said slide being connected by a link with an operating-lever. The backward or forward movements of the slide cause both sets of clamping jaws to'recede from or approach each other, these movements of said jaws being positivein both directions, and the jaws remaining at all times parallel with each other, so as to spread the button-hole evenly its entire length. The upper clamping-jaws are pivoted or hinged to blocks carried by the lower jaws, and are operated to clamp or release the work by an arm or lever attached to a small shaft having a crank connected by a link to a cross-bar engaging the arms of said jaws, the latter being thus operated positively in both directions. The operating levers for the spreading-slide and .the upper clamping-jaws are preferably so arranged that they will both be moved in the same direction in clamping the goods and spreading the button-hole, so that both of these results may be effected by one and the same movement of the hand of the operator.

In the drawings, Figure 1 is a plan view of a button-hole cloth-clamp embodying my invention,with the clamping-jaws together; and Fig. 2 is a similar view with the jaws moved 5 5 apart as in spreading the button-hole. Fig. 3 is a side view with the parts in the same position as'in Fig. 2. Fig. 4 is a front end view. Fig. 5 is aside view, partly in section, with the upper jaws raised; and Fig. 6 a similar view with the upper jaws down,as in clamping. Fig. 7 is a top view. of the base-plate and spreading-slide, and Fig. 8 a bottom view of the lower clamping-plate;

A indicatesthe base-plate of the clamp, and

a and a two sets of undercut parallel guides thereon, the former being removably attached to said plate. I

. B B are the lower clamping plates or jaws, having at their ends lips I), fitting beneath similar overhanging lips, if, on the under-cut guides. The plates B are provided on their undersides with inclined grooves 12.

G is a spreading-slide movable in a recess, a in the base-plate A, and having inclined ribs 0, fitting easily in the grooves 12 of the plates B. The slide 0 is connected by a link,

d, with a lever, D, pivoted to an arm or bracket, 6, of the post E, on the base-plate. through which post the guide-pin c of the clamp passes, said pin being normally depressed by a spring, e.

F F are blocks rigidly secured to the plates B, and to the blocks F are hinged plates G, to which latter are rigidly secured the arms h of the upper clamping-jaws,-H, the arms h being preferably recessed into the plates G, as shown, and the jaws H being pivoted to said arms, as is usual. I is a small shaft journaled in the blocks F, e and having a crank, i, connected by a link or pitman, J, to a cross-bar, K, slotted at its ends for the free passage of the-arms h. The arms are of spring-metal, as is usual in clamps of ,this kind, and the depth of the slots is in the 5 ends of the cross-bar K is preferably consid erably greater vertically. than the thickness of said arms, so thatthe stress of the latterin forcing the jaws H against the fabric may be varied by regulating-screws kf'tapped in said cross-bar. L is an arm or lever attached to the shaft I, by which the latter may be operated to clamp or release the work.

The operation of my device is as follows:

When the work is to be inserted, the upper clamping-jaws will be raised, as in Fig. 5, by lifting the lever L, and by moving said lever forward and downward in the direction indicated by arrow 1 in Fig. 3 the shaft I will be turned, and the crank 6, link or pitman J, and cross-bar K, moving with said shaft, will force down the arms h and their attached jaws Hto the clamping position indicated in Fig.

' ing position by the resilience of j the spring- .arms h, which yield to allow the crank to pass If the button-hole has not the deadcenter. yet been cut, this .will next be done by the proper cutter; but in working holes which have beencut in advance the hole can be spread the instant the clamping-lever has been depressed by moving the spreading-lever clined groove b of the plates or lower clamping-jaws, B, move said jaws outward or away from each other, and thus. effect the spreading of thebutton-hole, the outward movements of said plates or jaws B and of the upper jaws, H, which are mounted thereon and rigidly connected laterally therewith, being uniform throughout, so that said jaws will remain parallel with each other at all times, and thus spread the button-hole evenly its entire length.

When the button-hole is finished, the work will be released and the clamping-jaws again moved together, as in-Fig. 1, by turning the levers L and D in the direction opposite to that indicated by the arrow in Fig. 3, theupper clamping-jaws being lifted positively by i the cross-bar K, and the inward movements of the plates or jaws B beingv also effected positively by the rib-and-groove connection of. said plates andthe slide 0. By making all of these movements positive I am enabled to dispense with springs heretofore employed to effectreverse or return movements in' this class of devices, these springs being objectionable by reason of their liability to break .or to lose their force after considerable use.

It is obvious that the rib-and-groove connection of the plates B and slide 0 might be reversed by forming the ribs on the former and the grooves in the latter; or instead of these ribs other projections-as pins with or without rollers working in inclined or diagonal slotsmight be employed.

I claim as my invention a 1. In a button-hole clamp, the combination, with the base-plate and the upper and lower clamping plates or jaws adapted to move laterally thereof, of a spreading-slide having rib- .and-groove connections with the said lower plates or jaws, substantially as set forth.

2. In a button-hole clamp, the combination, with the base-plate having parallel guides, of two lower plates or clamping-jaws adapted to slide laterally onsaid base-plate in said guides, two upper clampingjawsmountcdon and rigidly connected with said lower plates or j aws,and a slide for moving the latter plates from or toward each other, substantially as set forth.

3. In a button-hole clamp, the combination, with the base-plate and the upper and lower clamping plates or jaws adapted to move laterally thereof, of a spreadingrslide movable longitudinally of the said lowerplates or jaws and having rib-and-groove connections therewith, aspreading-lever connected with said slide, and a clamping-lever connected with the said upper jaws, both of said levers being movable in the. same direction in performing their respective functions,substautially as set forth.

.4. The combination,with the base-plate and the upperand lower clamping-jaws, of a slotted cross -bar for operating thesaid upper jaws, a pitman, and a shaft having warm or lever and a crank, whereby the said upper jaws may be positively lifted and forced down, substantially as set forth.

5. The combination,with the base-plate and the lower plates or jaws, of blocks rigidly fixed thereto, plates hinged to said blocks, arms carrying the upper clamping-jaws rigidly attached to said plates, a shaft journaled in said blocks and having an arm or lever and a crank, a cross-bar engaging the saidarms of the clamping-jaws, and a pitman or link connectingsaid cross-bar and crank, substantially as set forth.

.6. Ina button-hole clamp, the combination, with the base plate, the upper and lower clamping plates or jaws, the spring-arms by which the upper jaws are carried, and the cross-bar engaging said arms, of a shaft having an arm or lever and a crank, a pitman or link, and a post with which the latter is in contactwhen the upper jaws are in clamping position and the said crank is past the deadcenter, substantially asset forth.

7. The combination,with the base-plate and the lower and upper clamping-jaws, of a slotted cross-bar, throughwhich the spring-arms of the latter loosely pass, regulating-screws on said cross-bar for varying the stress of said said grooves or slots, substantially as set arms, and devices for raising and lowering forth. 10 said cross-bar, substantially as set forth. In testimony whereof I affix my signature in 8. In a button-hole clamp, the combination, presence of two witnesses. 5 with the base-plate and the lower clamping JAMES G. GREENE.

plates or jaws mounted loosely thereon and \Vitnesses: provided with inclined grooves or slots, of a Grins. ELKIN, spreading-slide having projections fitting in AUG. M. NOONAN. 

